About 2,000 saplings were distributed to passengers at Madurai railway junction as part of observance of World Environment Day here on Thursday.
Additional Divisional Railway Manager Lalit Kumar Mansukhani distributed the saplings at the main concourse to the passengers. Many enthusiastic passengers joined the queue to collect the saplings of fruit-bearing and shade-giving trees. V. Dhanalakshmi, 60, of Dindigul, who had come to Madurai to attend a marriage, said that she was delighted to collect the saplings. “It was a pleasant surprise for me. I will give the saplings to my daughter who has recently constructed a new house,” she said.
A. Amba, 51, of Narikudi had collected a bagful of saplings. The woman who had come to Madurai by bus for some work had walked into the railway station for taking rest. “The direct bus back to my village is only at 4 p.m. We thought of finding some space at the railway station to while away the time. We have many trees at my house in our village. My only disappointment is that I could not get jackfruit saplings,” she said.
The ADRM, along with other officials, planted several saplings on the railway junction premises to reinforce measures undertaken by the railways like combating air pollution, curbing waste burning, encouraging decentralised segregation of waste and afforestation.
Chief Medical Superintendent G. Sahoo and Divisional Mechanical Engineer (Environment and House Keeping Managerment) G.R. Vivek Sharma were present.
Southern Railway Women’s Welfare Organisation also took up sapling planting drive in Railway Colony.